Tag Archives: model

Kit Bashing, Reviews

More proof instructions are wrong: AMT Willys Van retro issue

Image December 18, 2016 Hutchins AAron

Click (or tap) pics to make bigger:

: Retro issue of early 1970s kit. It was also issued as the ’33 Willys Panel Truck.

: It should have been an easy build, not quite.

: They even re-issued the original instructions, which reminded me why I had so much trouble building car kits as a kid in the mid-1970s.

: Exploded view instructions are vague, lack sequential steps (which turn out to be important) and actually leave out required parts. Hence the mantra Always Dry Fit before glueing.

: I used black light reactive paint.

: Supposed to have tilting hood, but not really (unless you want to spend more time scratch building a true hinge system).

: Not only does the hood not tilt, the tires-wheels don’t rotate. You have to scratch build your own axle rod/pin system.

: Black light kool.

: Without and…

: …with the hood.

: The decals came from a NASCAR kit.

: Spartan drag race interior, but there’s plenty of room for kustom kar ideas.

: Woooo, it’s the ghost of Willys’ van!

REVELL 1937 FORD PICKUP OR WHY MODEL ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS CAN BE WRONG!

MULTI-MAVERICK OR WHY MODEL ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS CAN BE WRONG!

Kit Bashing

Idaho cat caught instructing human how to build Corvette!

Image December 18, 2016 Hutchins AAron

Click (or tap) pics to make bigger:

: Prepare to mount interior.

: Mounting interior to frame.

: Body placement.

: Kool engine inserting in frame.

Oh well, years later cat still waiting for Corvette to be finished so it can take it for test drive. Human so slow.

Kit Bashing, Reviews

1:48 F-105G Wild Weasel showdown, HobbyBoss vs Monogram

Image June 26, 2016 Hutchins AAron

When it comes to the new high tech produced Hobby Boss F-105G Thunderchief Wild Weasel, versus the old-but-gold classic Monogram kit, price is the deciding factor.

I swear I had some 1:48 scale drawings for the F-105, but, despite tearing apart my decades old collection of modeling and aircraft magazines, I can’t find them. Oh well, I did discover with my F-104s that scale drawings can be inaccurate, as well.

Click on the gallery pics to make them bigger and read the comparisons of the kits:

: $60 vs $10

: Both fuselages are almost identical in size, the HobbyBoss kit’s tail is much smaller than the Monogram kit

: In this pic you can see how small the HobbyBoss tail is. The Monogram kit is based on their F-105F, which has scribing for bomb bay doors.

: Both kits have good cockpit details with HobbyBoss also including panel decals. Monogram has much better wheel well details.

: Wings are also similar in size. Mongram has raised panel lines while HobbyBoss has recessed lines and rivets (despite no such thing as recessed rivets)

: Note the lack of details on the HobbyBoss main gear door, and it appears to be bigger

: HobbyBoss does give you parts not seen in the Monogram kit, but does the price justify it?

Monogram first issued their F-105 series of 1:48 kits in the late 1970s early 1980s. Believe it or not they’re still viable and available today, currently issued by Revell (which took over Monogram in the 1990s).

Monogram Plus: Generally accurate, good details. Price buster; if you shop on the internet, and are patient, you can get one for as little as ten bucks (or less, not counting shipping cost)! I once saw Revell’s new Thunderstick version in a brick-n-mortar shop for $15! The Hobby Boss kit will cost you anywhere from $35 to $65 USD depending on where you get it (also not counting shipping cost if purchased on the internet or old fashioned mail order).

Hobby Boss Plus: Generally accurate, good details. Extra parts like an engine, radar, 20mm Vulcan and an extended inflight refueling probe (F-105s had both refueling probe and receptacle. Oh no, not a hermaphrodite!?). More decals.

Cold War: GOING ‘GANGBUSTERS’ WITH TEXAS F-4C & GEORGIA F-105G!

1:72 SHOCK & AWE LOCKHEED F-104 STARFIGHTER, OR, WHY YOU CAN’T TRUST SCALE DRAWINGS! PLUS MASSIVE HISTORICAL CONFUSION ABOUT REVELL-MONOGRAM!

1:72 COMPARISON F-86 SABER FUJIMI VS HELLER, OR, NOBODY IS PERFECT!

1/48 SCALE COMPARISON A-7 CORSAIR 2: AURORA, REVELL-MONOGRAM, ESCI, HASEGAWA & HOBBY BOSS.

1/72 REVISED COMPARISON A-7 CORSAIR 2: FUJIMI, ESCI, AIRFIX, HASEGAWA, MATCHBOX, REVELL & HOBBY BOSS. MORE REASON NOT TO TRUST SCALE DRAWINGS?

HOBBY BOSS F-5E TIGER II, NOT ONE OF THEIR “EASY ASSEMBLY” KITs, BUT WELL WORTH THE LITTLE BIT-O-MONEY IT COSTS!

Model kit politics: IRAN TO DISPLAY LIFE SIZE MODEL OF CAPTURED U.S. STEALTH DRONE, SENDS OBAMA A SMALLER HOT PINK VERSION

Review out of box: ITALERI P-51 MUSTANG 1 OUT OF BOX REVIEW

KIT BASHING & EDUCATION REFORM: IDAHO STUDENTS BUILDING MODEL KITS

Out of box: HELLER, FUJIMI & HOBBYCRAFT F-86 SABRE KITS COMPARED

International

Australia creates G20 Martial Laws! More proof your ‘fearless’ leaders are a bunch of paranoid-schizoids!

November 16, 2014 Hutchins AAron

16 November 2014 (21:47 UTC-07 Tango 15 November 2014)/23 Muharram 1436/25 Aban 1393/24 Yi-Hai 4712

The following list of ‘weapons’ was created by the British empire country of Australia in the G20 (Safety and Security) Act 2013, in anticipation of the 2014 Group of Twenty meetings now underway in Brisbane. It includes items like “eggs”, “banners”, “graffiti instruments”, “insects”, and like the Taliban that their very own Diggers have been fighting in Afghanistan a “kite”!

And if you like building model planes, then you are a terrorist!

The following is from the banned weapons list, and I bolded a few of the more interesting ‘weapons’.

Schedule 6 Prohibited items section 59

1 any of the following under the Weapons Categories Regulation 1997— (a) a category A, B, C, D, E, H, M or R weapon (b) a restricted item

2 any of the following within the meaning of the Weapons Act 1990— (a) an antique firearm (b) a knife (see that Act, section 51(7)) (c) a major component part of a firearm (d) a shanghai (e) a slingshot (f) a sword

3 any of the following— (a) a captive bolt humane killer (b) an explosive tool (c) a bow, whether a longbow, a compound bow or another type of bow (d) a spear gun (e) a replica of a firearm, crossbow, longbow or spear gun (f) an arrow (g) a blowpipe (h) handcuffs (i) a whip (j) a device capable of being used to interfere with broadcast or communication devices, including, for example, a communications jamming device (k) a cattle prod or other electrical device used for the management of livestock or other animals (l) an explosive, including, for example, fireworks or flares (m) glass bottles or jars (n) metal cans or tins (o) projectiles, including, for example, stones, ball bearings or eggs (p) hand tools (q) metal spikes, nails or tacks

4 a placard or banner to which a timber, metal or plastic pole is attached or a banner more than 100cm high by 200cm wide

5 a noxious or offensive substance, including, for example, urine or animal manure

6 an offensive weapon, including anything used as a weapon or capable of being used as a weapon, including, for example, a baseball bat or fence paling being carried by a person participating in an assembly

7 a graffiti instrument within the meaning of the Summary Offences Act 2005

8 a reptile, insect or other animal capable of causing physical harm if released in close proximity to a person

9 an item (including, for example, a lock-on device or sleeping dragon) capable of either of the following— (a) attaching a person to an object or another person (b) impeding removal of any locking or connecting device

10 a chain, cable or anything else capable of securing objects together for the purpose of causing an obstruction

11 a communication device, other than a mobile phone or other telephone, capable of being used to organise activity designed to disrupt any part of the G20 meeting, including, for example, a two-way radio or a loud hailer, whether powered or not

12 part or all of a traffic barrier

13 any of the following things capable, directly or indirectly, of disrupting any part of the G20 meeting— (a) a thing capable of emitting a sound loud enough to disrupt the part of the G20 meeting, including, for example, a horn or a hand-held marine warning device (b) a thing capable of emitting a sound that can distress or upset a dog or horse (c) a smoke bomb or other smoke device (d) an object commonly known as paint bomb, flour bomb or similar item capable of being thrown or propelled, including, for example, a paper bag containing flour that is intended to be thrown or a plastic container containing paint that is intended to be thrown (e) a thing that is not a weapon but is capable of being used to cause harm to a person (f) flammable substances (g) a laser pointer (h) a laser device capable of being shone onto an aircraft or of projecting an image (i) a thing capable of being used to climb a barrier (j) a thing capable of being used to construct a stage, platform, tripod or tower or a structure similar to a stage, platform, tripod or tower, other than a camera tripod

14 a thing capable of disguising or concealing the identity of a person including camouflage paint or cream, a mask or a balaclava, but not including headwear, worn by a member of a religious group, of a type customarily worn by members of the group

15 a manually operated surf ski or surfboard, kayak, boat or canoe

16 a floatation device

17 a kite or other device suspended by airflow and controlled by a string or cord attached to it

18 a remotely controlled device, including a vehicle or a model of a vehicle, including, for example, any of the following operated by remote control— (a) a toy car (b) a model plane (c) a drone or unmanned aerial vehicle

19 a thing purporting to be a Commonwealth accreditation or access approval, that is not genuine

20 a thing purporting to be an identity card for an appointed person or a police officer, that is not genuine

21 any other thing prescribed under a regulation

Obama… Outspends rivals… on hotel during G20 meeting!

Kit Bashing, Reviews

Revell 1937 Ford Pickup or Why model assembly instructions can be wrong!

Image February 16, 2014 Hutchins AAron

Click/tap pics to make bigger and read the text:

: Cool looking kit, but fiddly construction with instructions that don’t help.

: No attachment points for the wiper blades. I didn’t notice until after painting, and assembly was 99% complete. I could’a swore earlier issues of this kit had locating holes. So, on this latest issue drill holes before painting. Also, no ‘positive’ attachment points on the “stock” headlight shells. I did drill holes in the bottoms of the shells, you’ll get frustrated if you don’t.

: I had problems with the grill shell. When I attached it to the radiator it tilted too far back and prevented the hood from fitting. I suspect the crosspiece between the front fenders is the cause. I ended up gluing the grill shell to the hood. In fact the instructions don’t show the attachment of the stock grill shell to the radiator! It is a prime example of the necessity of lots of dry fitting and modification before assembly on this kit.

: The brake lights look more like rubies. I had to drill out the end of the stock exhaust pipe. I think attaching the wheels/tires earlier than what the instructions say is a good idea, as the axle to chassis connections are a little fiddly, and it took some pressure to get the stock wheels to snap on.

: If you’re using the custom dual exhaust, these cool metal pipe tips come with this issue of the kit.

: The bed has nice wood floor details, or you can use the included decals.

: I have lot-o-decals left over for custom builds. I decided to make this pickup a stock build, using only the decals for the stock gauges.

: The decal gauges look good. I taped them to the backside of the panel. The down side is that if you somehow screw up the decals there are no plastic gauges in the kit. Attachment of steering wheel shaft can be frustrating. Instead of a hole to slide it through, you have to somehow hold it in place as the glue dries (I turned the interior upside down and used gravity).

: No attachment points on the chassis. I used lots-o-glue where the frame meets the floor pan. Ignore the instructions and attach the bumper mounts at the beginning (especially before the gas tank is mounted), otherwise you’ll have problems clamping them in place while the glue dries. The instructions show steering linkage for the custom version, but no mention of it for stock. Also, instructions mention stock lever action (torsion) front shocks but not how to attach them (I eventually figured it out).

: Major faux pas here! The stock exhaust does not line up with the stock manifold opening on this side of the engine! What happened Revell? The instructions are totally focused on the “custom” version with little help for a “stock” build.

: Extra clear parts not used on this kit.

: The “custom” tires, which don’t look much different than the stock tires.

: By building a stock version I’m left with two unopened bags of cool custom parts for other projects!

: Take some time to double check your dry fits with the instructions and you’ll get a nice looking stock 1930s pickup truck.

Here’s a real 1930s Ford pickup truck in Idaho: 2015 Chubbuck Days Car Show

Kit Bashing: MULTI-MAVERICK OR WHY MODEL ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS CAN BE WRONG!

Kit Bashing, Reviews

Kit Bashing: PJ Production has new stuff for 2014!

Image February 16, 2014 Hutchins AAron

16 February 2014 (00:40 UTC-07 Tango)/15 Rabi ‘ath-Thani 1435/27 Bahman 1392/17 Bing-Yin (1st month) 4712

Click pics to make bigger:

: 1/32-54mm USN USMC seated pilot from 1950s/Korean War.

: Detailed PUR cast body.

: Detail of one of the optional heads.

: I couldn’t get the camera to focus on this other head.

: 1/48-38mm modern British empire helicopter crew.

: Use super/krazy type glue, or epoxy glue on these detailed PUR cast figures.

: 1/72-20mm Mirage 3S/RS/DS conversion.

: Tiny PE antenna. Not good for builders with bad vision or shaky hands.

: PUR cast parts: Antenna bumps, countermeasure flare dispenser, nose gear, detailed wheel well with cockpit tub on other side.

: PUR cast tail/rudder and canards.

: Optional noses (clear PUR nose is for recon).

: For single or two seater. PJ says the conversion is for his full Mirage kits, but I think they could be easily used on other brands of Mirage 3 kits.

2013: PJ PRODUCTION HAS NEW STUFF!

Kit Bashing, Reviews

Multi-Maverick or Why model assembly instructions can be wrong!

Image September 14, 2013 Hutchins AAron

14 September 2013 (22:11 UTC-07 Tango 13 September 2013)/09 Dhu ‘l-Qa’da 1434/23 Shahrivar 1391/10 Xin-You (8th month) 4711

Click pics to make bigger and read why the instructions are wrong:

: AMT-ERTL & Hobby Heaven reissued the early 1970s MPC Multi-Maverick kit. They even reissued the original confusing instructions.

: The reissue kit reminded me why I had so much trouble building dragster kits as a kid in the mid-1970s. The instructions show you attaching the headers in step 1, but if you do you can’t get the engine onto the chassis. Headers/exhaust pipes must be attached after the engine & chassis are mated.

: I installed this firewall as per the artwork on the box. The instructions didn’t mention it and I found out why. If you build the car with the extended wheelbase, and the engine moved forward, the firewall contacts the engine preventing the body from properly resting on the chassis.

: The kit allows you to build two options; a standard wheelbase or extended wheelbase dragster. It says not to glue on the fender mods so you can switch between set ups, but for practical race time handling, I mean display purposes your choice should be permanent.

: A major reminder of why I didn’t get along with dragster kits in the 1970s; suspension components are frustratingly fiddly & fragile!

: The suspension parts can be easily broken when removed from the sprues, and the instruction’s rigging template for the front suspension was no help. I used a slow setting glue while fanagling the parts into place.

: The fuel can in front of the engine is not how the instructions would have you mount it. It won’t fit with the engine in the forward position, unless you turn it sideways. Also, there’s no definite location point. The belt on the supercharger (blower) is plastic and snapped right on. No mention of it in the instructions. In fact, in step 1 you’re told to use string to make a belt, then in step 9 you’re told to use a rubber band. The ‘C’ notch in the front of the chassis is so the belt drive can fit when the engine is in the forward position, however, I still had to thin it greatly to get the engine to fit.

: Another problem: The body hinge bar. Instructions tell you to insert the bar into the chassis, then glue it to attachment notches on the body. So called ‘notches’ are almost nonexistent. On top of that when I closed down the body the wheel wells didn’t line up with the Altered wheelbase.

: You get one flimsy rod to hold up the heavy body, when you’re not busy racing down the strip.

: It still looks good when completed.

: Neon paint and black light…

: ….make it look cool-er, man!

Kit Bashing: 2006 MUSTANG FUNNY CAR DRAGSTER

Kit Bashing

2006 Mustang Funny Car dragster

Image May 30, 2013 Hutchins AAron

Click pics to make bigger

: 4 kits bashed to make a unique 2006 Mustang Funny Car.

: Chassis from Revell’s Vega dragster kit. The 429 V8 engine came from Revell/Monogram’s 1970 Boss 429 Mustang. The molded on automatic transmission was cut from the 429. The Vega’s supercharger, transmission and exhausts fit with very little modifications.

: Two Revell 2006 Bullet Mustangs were chopped to make a long nosed Mustang Funny car.

: What was that about measure twice, cut once? A lot of bondo and sanding coming up.

: All openings were filled and smoothed.

: Those plastic bread bag clips were used to join the body parts together. They are made from the same polystyrene plastic.

: More body putty and sanding. I added plastic strip at the bottom because I got carried away and cut too much from one spot (maybe it’ll also help hold the body parts more securely).

: The Boss 429 cubic inch (7 liter) V8 looks good. The Vega came with a 426 ci Hemi.

: I used a wing from a crashed up rail dragster. I had to make a new fence from plastic sheet.

: I tried protecting the windshield as I cut it for the Funny Car, unfortunately it still cracked.

: White decals sheet was used to create a company sponsor with red marker. The kit is for an employee of WinCo.

: Decals came from the Revell Vega and Revell/Monogram Boss 429 Mustang kits, as well as AMT kits and a fragile Slixx Decals set.

: The silver strips came from an AeroMaster silver decal sheet.

: The black lettering came from a sheet of stickers.

: Now you can see the damaged windshield. Racing damage, yeah that’s it, racing damage.

: Open wide! In hindsight I should have used a wider/stronger chassis as the modified 2006 Mustang body is very heavy.

: Lots of putty, sanding, thick red paint, lots of decals followed by thick clear lacquer, helps smooth hacked up body joins.

Kit Bashing: SALVAGING TWO DIFFERENT JUNK KITS INTO ONE UNIQUE CORVETTE

Kit Bashing

Salvaging two different junk kits into one unique Corvette

Image April 14, 2013 Hutchins AAron

An old MPC custom Corvette and an AMT 1995 Corvette, missing parts, broken or unusable parts, combined to make a unique kit.

The body & interior of the MPC kit was used. Missing or unusable side windows and removable top.

Fuel cap came from Revell 2006 Ford Mustang kit.

MPC interior.

Wheels from AMT 1995 Corvette, tires from my spares. Rear wheels were ‘made to fit’ the fat meats.

Hood had to be drastically sanded as it was hit with a glue bomb. Looked like previous builder painted glue on it.

Front spoiler is from old Opel GT kit. It’s being used to keep the hood from sliding off, I couldn’t build a functioning hinge system in the time I gave myself to build the kit.

1995 Corvette engine with impromptu battery & brake cylinder locations.

'95 Corvette chassis had to narrowed, and drastically shortened (one of the reasons why I didn't have a working hood hinge system).

’95 Corvette chassis had to be narrowed, and drastically shortened (one of the reasons why I didn’t have a working hood hinge system).

Taillights are paint with lots-o-clear (too much on a couple).

From a couple of cheapo junkyard kits bought on the internet, I was able to make a decent and unique looking custom Corvette.

Kit Bashing: REVELL’S CHEVY COPO NOVA

Kit Bashing, Reviews

Kit Bashing: PJ Production has new pilot figures: 1/72 Swedish Grippen & German F-4 Phantom 2

Image September 9, 2012 Hutchins AAron

It seems we’ve been crewing our Saab Grippens and German F-4 Phantom 2s with the wrong pilots! PJ Production has set things right by releasing his latest 1/72 scale resin pilot figures.

Click pics to make bigger:

Use cyanoacrylate glue (super/krazy type glue) to put these guys together, and in your Grippen or Luftwaffe F-4.

2011: PJ PRODUCTION HAS NEW PILOT FIGURES; 1/32 SOVIET, 1/48 MODERN U.S./NATO & 1/72 SAR

Blind Bat News

Tag Archives: model

More proof instructions are wrong: AMT Willys Van retro issue

Idaho cat caught instructing human how to build Corvette!

1:48 F-105G Wild Weasel showdown, HobbyBoss vs Monogram

Australia creates G20 Martial Laws! More proof your ‘fearless’ leaders are a bunch of paranoid-schizoids!

Revell 1937 Ford Pickup or Why model assembly instructions can be wrong!

Kit Bashing: PJ Production has new stuff for 2014!

Multi-Maverick or Why model assembly instructions can be wrong!

2006 Mustang Funny Car dragster

Salvaging two different junk kits into one unique Corvette

Kit Bashing: PJ Production has new pilot figures: 1/72 Swedish Grippen & German F-4 Phantom 2

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